Implant and a method for using same

Abstract

A novel dental implant for coupling an artificial tooth to a jawbone of a patient is provided and a method for using same. The implant comprises an elongated body having an apical end threaded bone-engaging portion for engaging the dental implant with said jawbone and preferably a coronal end that serves as a post or prothetic platform. The implant further comprises a skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane attached to the elongated body and is capable of being positioned in a first upwardly raised position and in a second downwardly spread position to provide a cover for a site surrounding the location at which said artificial tooth is to be implanted.

1. A dental implant for coupling an artificial tooth to a jawbone of a patient which comprises:
 (i) an elongated body having a first end threaded bone-engaging portion for engaging the dental implant with said jawbone; and 
 (ii) a skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane attached to said elongated body and is capable of being positioned in a first upwardly raised position or in a second downwardly spread position to provide a cover for a site surrounding the location at which said artificial tooth is to be implanted, 
 wherein a second end of said elongated body is adapted to be detachably connected to a reservoir containing bone grafting material, wherein said elongated body comprises circumferentially located openings to allow discharge of the bone grafting material and wherein the skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane, when positioned in that second downwardly spread position, is capable of forming together with the upper surface of the native host bone to which the first end of elongated body would be affixed, an enclosure at which the bone grafting material is to be discharged via these openings. 
 
     
     
       2. A dental implant according to  claim 1 , wherein said second end comprises a holding means adapted to hold a temporary crown or a healing cup after detaching said reservoir. 
     
     
       3. A dental implant according to  claim 1 , further comprising a one way valve adapted to prevent backward reflux of said discharged grafting material from said site back towards said reservoir. 
     
     
       4. A dental implant according to  claim 1 , further comprising a spacer for connecting said skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane to said elongated body of the dental implant and for maintaining a space between said elongated body and said skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane. 
     
     
       5. A dental implant according to  claim 1 , wherein said skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane comprises collagen. 
     
     
       6. A dental implant according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said openings are backwardly tilted and located essentially above the threads of the dental implant. 
     
     
       7. A dental implant according to  claim 1 , wherein said elongated body further comprises a cavity to enable conveying bone grafting material therethrough towards the site surrounding the location at which said artificial tooth is to be implanted. 
     
     
       8. A method for carrying out a dental implantation procedure which comprises the steps of:
 a. drilling a hole at a site in a patient's jawbone for inserting thereat a first end of a dental implant; 
 b. positioning a skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane attached to said dental implant in an upwardly raised position and locating said dental implant at its position by affixing said first end of the dental implant to a native host bone at said site; 
 c. upon affixing said dental implant at its position, positioning said skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane in a downwardly spread position; 
 d. suturing a flap over the skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane being in its downwardly spread position; 
 e. filling a space defined by the implant, the membrane and the surrounding with a bone grafting material delivered through the implant; and 
 f. placing a temporary crown on top of said dental implant. 
 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the bone grafting material is delivered via one or more openings located at the circumference of the dental implant, into an enclosure formed by said skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane positioned in said downwardly spread position and upper surface of the native host bone to which the dental implant has been affixed. 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said grafting material is discharged from a reservoir containing the bone grafting material that is detachably connected to said dental implant. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the discharge of the bone grafting material into a space defined by the implant, the membrane and the surrounding bone is torque controlled.